Outagamie County, WI Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Rule
- No dog/animal running at large
- Exception
- Supervised legal hunting dogs
- First offense
- $25–$100 forfeiture
- Repeat offense
- $50–$200 forfeiture
- Enforced by
- Law enforcement, at-large capture
Summary
No one in Outagamie County may own, keep, or harbor a dog or other animal and let it run at large, off the owner's property and unsupervised, except for dogs actively engaged in legal hunting.
(1)(a)Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b), no person shall own, keep or harbor a dog or other animal, and intentionally or negligently permit such dog or other animal to run at large. Under the provisions of this section, the dog or animal shall be considered as running at large if it is not on the property of the owner or some other person who has assumed responsibility for the animal.(b)A dog that is actively engaged in a legal hunting activity, including training, is not considered to be running at large if the dog is monitored or supervised by a person and the dog is on land that is open to hunting or on land on which the person has obtained permission to hunt or to train a dog.(2)Animal running at large subject to impoundment. Any animal which is running at large may be captured by a law enforcement officer or their designee. Whether or not to capture an animal at large is subject to the law enforcement officers' discretion.(3)Penalties. If the owner of an animal negligently or otherwise permits the animal to run at large or be untagged, the owner shall forfeit not less than $25.00 nor more than $100.00 for the first offense and not less than $50.00 nor more than $200.00 for subsequent offenses. (Ord. No. A-2020-21, 5-26-2020)
Secs. 8-3—8-20. - Reserved.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 26).
Full Breakdown
Section 8-2 prohibits owning, keeping, or harboring a dog or other animal and intentionally or negligently letting it run at large, defined as being off the property of the owner or another responsible person. The one carve-out is a dog actively engaged in supervised legal hunting or training on land open to hunting. Any animal running at large may be captured by a law enforcement officer at the officer's discretion. A first offense draws a forfeiture of $25.00 to $100.00, and repeat offenses draw $50.00 to $200.00: separate from, and in addition to, whatever leash rule the dog's home municipality may set within its own limits.
Violations & Fines
Letting a dog or other animal run at large draws a forfeiture of $25 to $100 for a first offense and $50 to $200 for each repeat offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my dog be off-leash on my own property in Outagamie County?
What's the fine for a dog running at large?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Outagamie County
Compare Outagamie County to another location·View the Wisconsin animal ordinances overview
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